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my-thoughts-my-views · 4 years ago

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Macbook Air M1 | Best Suitable Accessories for Macbook Air M1 | Laptop Accessories

Macbook Air M1

Let’s talk about best suitable accessories for you MacBook Air M1. So you might have recently picked up an M1 MacBook Air or Pro. or perhaps you have an Intel model Or even one of the larger 15 or 16 inch MacBook Pros. Here’s a list of accessories that are tried and tested by me over the years and really help enhance the capabilities and increase you productivity with these machines. You can purchase these accessories from Amazon or other other e-commerce website to get best gadgets for you likewww.gadgetworldusa.com.

I will divide it in two sections:

- The first talking of accessories you can get for your MacBook when using it in laptop form, these are meant to be portable and in general can be applied to any laptop.

- In the second half, I will look at accessories when using your MacBook in desktop mode. What accessories you can get to make a seamless shift from laptop to desktop mode and carry on working for those longer, more demanding work sessions.

So let us get started with accessories to get when using your MacBook as a laptop.

USB Port:

Apple USB Type C to Type A adapter

The first thing I picked up when I got my first USB type C port only MacBook Pro, was this. The Apple USB Type C to Type A adapter. Well, with only USB Type C ports on all MacBook’s nowadays and a lot of peripherals still using a USB Type A port, you need the ability to access type A devices from the word go, so this is an excellent adapter to have in your bag, that will give you USB 3.1 Gen 1 speeds from any device that is also compliant with at least this standard.

Lenovo USB type C hub

Now, you may be thinking about why you should get an adapter that just provides a USB type A connection, when you can get a Lenovo USB type C hub with many other connections. Well, if that’s your Amazon is full of listing for these and there’s a lot of badge engineering happening here. So, a single supplier maybe manufacturing the same product for a number of retailers. Now both of these are well reviewed hubs, but I’ve had better luck with this Lenovo Hub. It is a couple of years old and no longer available in this exact version.

This other one offers additionally a 3.5mm jack, but in actual performance, it tends to heat up and loose the display completely till it gets cool. Also, you’re unable to adjust the volume using the MacBook’s software slider when you connect external speakers via this hub.

One thing these unpowered docks will not give you, is transfer speeds via SD cards. You really need a dedicated SD card reader if you work with large photo or video files. This here is an excellent choice, the SanDisk Imagemate Pro and it allows you to exploit the full potential of your SD cards read and write speeds.

SanDisk Imagemate Pro

Cable:

USB Type C to Micro B Amazon Basic Cable

Let’s talk cables for a bit. Now although you can use one of the aforementioned adapters or hubs to connect to USB type A cable devices, but if you’re not going to be moving between older computers and your new MacBook too much, you may want consider a USB Type C to Micro B cable such as these.

They are from different brands, but for the sake of uniformity wherever you may be located, I will recommend the USB Type C to Micro B Amazon Basic Cable. This will allow you to connect a sinning USB 3.1 hard drive directly to your MacBook via USB C and achieve USB 3.1 Gen 1 speeds.

Griffin Breaksafe cable

If you’ve had MacBook in the past and really loved the idea of MagSafe, this could be just the cable you were looking for. This is the Griffin Breaksafe cable that snaps in half if you yank or pull at it and prevents your computer from falling off a desk or other surface.

You have to be careful here, because there are tons of such options online. One example is this Baseus MagSafe connector, I really liked the idea of it. Convert your existing cable to MagSafe and have a very small connector permanently plugged in to the MacBook. And the connector itself was right angled to enable a more compact profile when charging. But in practise, this is not recommended at all. 99% of times it worked as advertised but that one time, when I connected it, remember this has live electricity running through it, it fried the logic board on one of my previous MacBook.

So, the only safe product I have come across is the Griffin Breaksafe cable. It’s bulkier and only charges up to 60 watts, so not as suited for bigger MacBook, but it’s safe and long enough to charge MacBook Airs and 13 inch Pros or even iPad Pros.

Cable Protectors

And also on the topic of cables, you can pick these little cable protectors on Amazon for next to nothing, they go on to your original Apple cables like so and offer great protection from bends in the one are Apple’s cables are most vulnerable at and if left unprotected, the cables tend to get frayed in this region. I used them on my iPad Pro and MacBook Pro 15 inch original USB Type C cables and they are as pristine as they were on day one, some two years later.

Mouse:

Logitech MX Master 3 mouse

Now when it comes to mouse, you do have the excellent trackpad on the MacBook Air itself, but if you want that classic mouse experience and want that scroll wheel, I cannot say. Enough good things about theLogitech MX Master 3 mouse. It’s not the most compact of mice but trust me when I say this, once you’ve used one of these, you will never want to go back to anything else. Really you have to experience it to know how great it is, it’s simply the best mouse in the world. In certain regions you can get in a Mac specific variant, but from what I’ve read there isn’t that much value addition in that one, so I would rather stick to the general variant and retain compatibility across devices.

Sandstorm mouse

You can connect up to three devices and switch between them using a toggle button on the bottom of the mouse. But if you want something more compact, I have used this Sandstorm mouse for the past three years now and this is from a UK based manufacturer. It is quite excellent, but its limited availability and recent issues I’ve had in terms of lagging with my older 15 inch MacBook Pro, means I would rather point you in the direction of the Logitech pebble mouse, which is really compact and performs well.

Logitech pebble mouse

Protection:

MOCA hard shell case

Now let’s talk protection. For many people MacBook is an expensive purchase and they will rightfully have think about protecting their new investment. The first thing that comes to mind is a hard shell case such as this. This is the MOCA hard shell case for the new M1 MacBook Air, but also fits other2020 MacBook Airs. The idea is sound, but since 2016, when the USB Type C MacBook came out, their displays are razor thin and the top lid has very little strength to it. So whenever I’ve tried to use such a case, be it on this MacBook Air or my older 15 inch MacBook Pro, it adds too much weight to the lid, and I can see this having an adverse effect over the years on the hinges.

Now that you’ve chosen a hard shell case for your MacBook, you may be thinking of sleeves. Well, if you want a basic sleeve, you will be well served by any of the generic ones available on Amazon. I used a handcrafted one that I picked up in the UK on my original13 Inch Retina MacBook Pro for a good few years. But recently I’ve moved to “Thule cases and bags”. On one of my flights with my older 13 inch MacBook, a generic laptop bag didn’t offer the protection from pressure damage that was needed and I had a damaged MacBook screen. Since then, I surveyed the market and chose this product, the Thule Gauntlet sleeve for both 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pros.

Thule Gauntlet sleeve

I actually the used the 13 inch version for my iPad Pro 12.9 inch. It offers rugged protection and although bulkier than a cloth or fabric sleeve, I’ve had peace of mind when travelling with this item. It’s quite no frills though and beyond a protective shield for your device, it doesn’t offer any storage space for accessories.

Thule Attaché case

If you’d rather have a bag, then Thule has you covered once more. Because of my really nice experience with their sleeves, I tried out the Thule Attaché case for the 15 inch MacBook Pro. This is a really nice bag and offers the same protection as the Gauntlet sleeve but additionally has plenty of space for accessories and chargers and keeps the laptop separate from these. You also have the option of working from the bag itself, quite useful in situations at airports and such locations, where you don’t want too much clutter when working for quick few minutes.

Storage:

Now let’s talk about storage. If you want fast and lightweight storage for you MacBook, you can’t go wrong with the excellent Samsung external SSDs, the T5 and its newer T7 cousin. I’ve used T5 1TB variant for a couple of years now and really enjoy the 540MB/Speeds it consistently delivers and do all of my video editing off this drive. The newer T7 offers double these speeds, but at some additional cost. Both are excellent and deserve a space in your laptop bag. And being solid state drives, they are not only very compact, but also extremely rugged when compared to a spinning hard drive.

Samsung external SSD T5

So this was all about accessories for on the go computing with your MacBook. Now let’s look at accessories that make your life easier when working at a desk. With these accessories you can seamlessly transform your MacBook into a proper workstation.

Display:

32 inch 4K Benq display

Well, the most obvious one on this desk is the main event, the 32 inch 4K Benq display. This is the Benq EW3280U 4K display. Don’t confuse it with the EW3270U, which is a VA panel display whilst this is the real deal, an IPS display, which you really need with such big displays for good viewing angles.

Also anything smaller than this, and you will not be effectively able to run this at native4K resolution. Everything becomes too small for reading comfortably and even this one, I use it a pixel doubled 2560x1440 resolution that provides retina-like sharpness and still plenty of screen real estate. As a bonus, this comes with the best speakers on a monitor and a subwoofer, meaning I’ve thrown away my external speakers now.

It’s not perfect though, and the new M1 MacBook do have number of issues with it. Also, even though it comes with a remote, I’ve found this Tobe very unresponsive. I still recommend this display simply because it is one of the few good IPS displays in 32 inch size and 4K resolution at this price point, at least in India and USA.

Stand:

Laptop stand from TARKAN

The other item here is a laptop stand from TARKAN. It is a 360 degree rotating stand that elevates you MacBook to a comfortable height and allows you to have the screen open of closed as per your choices. I wanted access to the Touch ID sensor, so didn’t want to use the MacBook in clamshell mode and this was really perfect for the purpose.

If you get the same design by a different manufacturer, by all means go for the best deal available, as most of these are made by the same supplier and then sold with different brand names.

Powerhouse:

Caldigit TS3 Plus dock

You can use the Caldigit TS3 Plus dock peeking for your MacBook, this is the powerhouse that has enabled me to have such a clean desk setup. The first distinction between this and the USB Type C hubs we spoke of earlier is that this is a Thunderbolt hub and is actively powered by its own big power brick. That means, not only does it not draw power from your MacBook, but it can charge the MacBook at up to a full 87 watts and power all number of other devices and have just a single, neat thunderbolt 3 cable running to your MacBook. Unfortunately in my case, my Benq Monitor doesn’t run at 60 hz refresh rate when connected via display port cable that this hub offers or even its own USB type C cable.

Belkin USB Type C to HDMI adapter

So I’ve had to add another accessory to the back of this hub, and that is Belkin USB Type C to HDMI adapter. This is a great accessory that allows running4K monitors at up to 60hz resolution and offers pass-through charging for a MacBook as well. It actually comes in two variants, but make sure you choose new one, and not the older one that doesn’t provide pass-through charging.

Thunderbolt dock:

Caldigit TS3 Plus thunderbolt dock

The Caldigit TS3 Plus thunderbolt dock has really replaced a number of devices form and offers the single cable convenience that I was looking for. The only thing going against it is the cost, it’s really expensive and its availability outside of the US and Canada is not great. But if money’s not an object, and you want the best hub for your MacBook, this is it.

Mechanical Keyboard:

TVS Gold Keyboard

Now this is a mechanical keyboard, the TVS Gold Keyboard, which is only available in India and is based on Cherry MX keys. If you’ve typed on a mechanical keyboard you will know how great they are for typing. The downside with this keyboard is its Windows layout keys. And also, if you’re used to typing on the excellent Magic Keyboards of the latest MacBook or even the iPad Pro, there is a lack of consistency when you switch to this keyboard, as the keys are differently sized and take some getting used to. For this reason, I recommend both this style of mechanical keyboard and Apple’s own Magic Keyboard. It will boil down to personal preference on this one.

Mouse:

Logitech MX Master 3 mouse

Once again, you see the excellent Logitech MX Master 3 mouse and it is right at home on this large Scarters mouse mat. It measures90x45 cms and offers a great base to work on and is spill proof and easily cleaned and also reversible and comes in different colours on both sides. It’s recently had a price cut and really great value at reduced prices.

Scarters mouse mat

Monitor Arm:

The other item you see here, is the excellent Amazon Basics monitor arm, which allows a range of movement for your monitor whilst keeping your desk clean. It also offers cable management for a clean look. I’m not using it currently as I like the look of my new Monitor’s base stand, but I do use it add an additional screen from time to time. I’ve done an in-depth review on this, so do check that out.

Amazon Basics monitor arm

External HDD:

Seagate Backup plus Portable 5TB external HDD

Now when you’re at a desk, portability is less important and when it comes to hard drives, space and capacity take precedent. Here are two excellent choices, one is the Seagate Backup plus Portable 5TB external HDD and second is the WD My Passport 4TB portable external hard drive. Both are USB 3.0 and have spinning drives inside them. They are both available for great prices around the world and availability is excellent on any local Amazon site. It’s a great way to dump large files and use for backing up your MacBook. And USB 3.0 speeds mean that they are not painfully slow when it comes to file transfers.

WD My Passport 4TB portable external hard drive

Extension Cable:

USB type C extension cable by Stouchi

USB type C extension cable by Stouchi that are tricky to find, also they are uni-directional, so you can plug them in the wrong way. They only work when connected in one orientation, so make sure you try both sides when you use them. But what it does offer is the ability to hide USB Type C hubs away for a clean desk setup. If you don’t want an expensive Thunderbolt hub, this maybe a good way to achieve port expansion whilst keeping your desk clean.

Cable Management Tray:

IKEA Signum cable management tray

Finally, this is the IKEA Signum cable management tray, plenty long and strong and adjustable. Also easy to install as will ensure your desk looks pristinely clean and cable clutter free.

Since it’s from a well-known brand, availability and quality is generally great around the world. Thanks for sticking by till the end and hopefully you will find something useful from these accessories for your own use case scenario. There are many other e-commerce website to get best gadgets for you like www.gadgetworldusa.com. Let me know in the comments section, which ones of these you have or are planning to get or if you have an alternative to any of them.

Thank you very much for reading this Article.

#macbook air m1 #laptop #laptop accessories #mouse #laptop stand #gadgetworldusa #gadgetworld #external ssd #external hdd #usb extention #apple macbook

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/macbook-air-2020-review-nobody-does-it-better/

MacBook Air (2020) review: Nobody does it better

Written by Nandagopal Rajan | New Delhi | Updated: August 9, 2020 1:48:29 pm

In the realm of the thinnest, lightest and most portable computers, the MacBook Air still blows the competition away. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Never before have we been so bothered about the devices we use. Is it heating up? Is it slowing down? Isn’t it a bit too heavy to keep on the lap all day long? And a lot of us are realising that what we thought was a good device for work, is not exactly that when it comes to working from home. In our cramped urban homes, most of us are also struggling to find the right place to sit and work, with the computer jostling for space on the dining table with leftover plates as the sink is already overflowing. This is where a lot of people are considering new devices for the new normal. And the new MacBook Air has arrived at just such a time.

MacBook Air 2020 price in India: Rs 92,990 onward

What’s new and what’s good?

Having got through the past few months using my old 2015 vintage MacBook Air and a review unit of MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air came as a breath of fresh air. For one, this was a much lighter, much portable device compared to these two, though the same size as the last MacBook Air. The all-metal feel is not just style, as the bumps and folded edges of my old MacBook Air will tell you. This is made to last, and last they do.

In fact, after playing around with the device for a while, I started wondering if this was actually lighter than the new iPad Pro with the keyboard. While it really isn’t at 1.2 kg, that is how light this MacBook Air is. This is the device that does not tie you to a table and lets you move around — a Zoom call in the roof, early morning e-papers in the balcony, writing reviews on the sofa and back to the dining table for the dreaded spreadsheets.

With whatever I did, editing stories, accessing a WordPress back end and playing around with designs on Canva, this one really up to it all the time. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

The one aspect of the new MacBook Air that will stand out for those like me who have also used the earlier version is the Magic Keyboard, the same one Apple debuted with the MacBook Pro last year. The keys are now softer to your touch and offer the right amount the pushback and travel. The scissor mechanism is back and that spring in the keys makes the MacBook Air a great device for writing and editing for users like me. There is the inverted T for arrow keys so that you don’t have to look where your fingers are. Also, despite the small build, the trackpad is sufficiently larger and more than responsive for whatever you want to do.

Samsung Galaxy M31s review: A stellar performer

The 13.3-inch Retina display has a native resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. The colours pop out and the text is sharp to read. In the display, things have really improved over last time and you feel it everywhere from the wallpaper to when wiring this using the dark mode in the Bear app I am so fond of. But what really stood out for me was how bright this display is. In fact, I can challenge people to work for more than 15 minutes indoors with the screen at full brightness. That is going to be really tough and you don’t have to push the screen beyond 60 per cent to work at home. The extra brightness can come in handy when you are trying to impress colleagues by taking that boring video call to under the interesting August skies.

The all-metal feel is not just style, as the bumps and folded edges of my old MacBook Air will tell you. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

The MacBook Air is often underestimated in terms of processing power. My old faithful can still pull through a video edit if needed and not even break a sweat. The new generation is no different. While you don’t really want to use purely for a high-intensity video editing call of duty, it will be more than able to help with one when the time comes. With whatever I did, editing stories, accessing a WordPress back end and playing around with designs on Canva, this one really up to it all the time. And given that even the most demanding apps like Photoshop are now cloud-based, this is all most of us will need. Apple offers configurations up to a quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, and that should be more than enough for the target audience of this device.

And thanks to the SSD storage, this one is up and running whenever you want it. Just open it, tough the fingerprint scanner to unlock and you are back where you left it. All within a few seconds. The fingerprint scanner is habit-forming too and you hate the times when you have to key in the password. Since the MacBook Pro too has this feature, this is something I am already used to.

The keys are now softer to your touch and offer the right amount the pushback and travel. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

The battery is good enough to last you a full day at work, and you can keep the power adapter at home. Anyway, these days you can find USB-C chargers in most places and in case you run out of power that’s all you need to recharge this.

HP Pavilion Gaming 16 laptop review: Mixing work and fun

What to keep in mind?

Those moving from a larger laptop will take a few days to get adjusted to the smaller keyboard. I did coming from the larger MacBook Pro where I was doing most of my writing in recent days. But the transition is easy and before you realise the fingers will be finding the right keys. I would have loved to see an edge-to-edge display on this one, just a little bit extra screen. Now, there is a bezel though a thin one. As I realised recently with an accessory I wanted to test, the USB-A port is something some users moving from older devices will miss. Even though Apple has been pushing for a transition to USB-C, the ecosystem is still not there yet. Trying getting a good USB-C mouse and you will realise what I am talking about.

The 13.3-inch Retina display has a native resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Should you buy it?

If your need is regular computing with portability and reliability, then the MacBook Air is really the device you should look at. Yes, I know a lot of you will feel the price is beyond you, but I’ve now convinced the longer product life of this device will more than make up for that in the long run. Those who need more power for high-end tasks and a larger screen should look at the MacBook Pro instead. In the realm of the thinnest, lightest and most portable computers, the MacBook Air still blows the competition away.

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magzoso-tech · 5 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/best-tech-of-2019-our-favourite-purchases-from-zomato-gold-to-realme-earbuds/

Best Tech of 2019: Our Favourite Purchases, From Zomato Gold to Realme Earbuds

Being a consumer is like a job, as a disgraced comedian once rightly said. We spend hours poring over the options at our disposal, looking at the features, going through reviews — a culture we at Gadgets 360 contribute to — and wondering what’s best suited for our needs. Sure, it seems crazy, but it also makes sense. After all, you work hard to earn that money. As you scroll below, you’ll find that some of us didn’t find anything worthwhile to spend said hard-earned money on in 2019. Meanwhile, most others found joy in new phones, tablets, laptops, headphones, subscriptions, or gaming consoles. Thus, in this Best Tech of 2019 article, we detail our favourite purchases from the world of technology this year.

Abhinav Lal: Zomato Gold

I’m going to nominate my Zomato Gold subscription as my tech purchase of the year. You may say, “Hey, that’s not really tech, is it?”, and I’d mostly agree with you. But, hey, it’s a premium offering by a consumer tech platform and seeing that I’ve reaped benefits several times over its cost already, I’m nominating it.

If you’d recall, Zomato earlier this year started Gold on delivery as well, making it rather decent value for money as long as you have participating restaurants in your neighbourhood. I got a 12-month subscription for Rs. 1,800, and since this was during Zomato’s anniversary celebrations, I also got five Rs. 200 cashbacks on delivery orders, bringing its cost down to Rs. 800. I recouped that in two dine outs — and have been using it for delivery as well.

As for my wishlist last year, it included a virtual reality headset, but I’ve been unable to convince myself to take the plunge on a mid-level offering. Maybe this year we will see a reduction in prices as the tech becomes more mainstream.

Buy: Zomato Gold

Aditya Shenoy: Nothing

At the start of the year, I was looking to buy a Sena 30K for my daily + weekend rides. After some thorough research found out that it won’t be able to survive the monsoons here. So dropped plans of picking one up. Surprisingly I haven’t bought a single new tech product this year. I did buy a V6 Communicator since the one I had got drenched in the rains and conked off.

An Android Auto head-unit for my car is still on my wishlist, but I think I’ll look for it next year.

Buy: Nothing

Akhil Arora: Nothing

True to what I’d predicted over 300 days ago, my tech wishlist stayed empty for all of 2019. Of course, I cheated and browsed through sales like any bargain-loving human, but I was never enticed to hit the buy button. That doesn’t mean I didn’t purchase anything. I picked up an iRobot Roomba 600 series at the start of the year and a Mi Air Purifier 3 towards the end of the year. One was a present, and the other a necessity — have you seen the data?

But I wouldn’t say I’d recommend either. If you’re looking for a robot vacuum or an air purifier, I’ve realised it’s best to stay away from entry-level products.

The Roomba is good at cleaning, but it’s very dumb. I live in a 3BHK and given how frequently I’ve to interact with it during cleaning, it really stretches the definition of the word “robot”. As for the Xiaomi one, it seems to do the job, but I don’t trust its AQI readings even though it has a new sensor. So without a separate air quality monitor, there’s no way to tell how good a job it’s doing.

My favourite tech product for 2019 then? 404 Not Found. Sorry for wasting your time, …again.

Buy: Nothing

Akshay Jadhav: Google Home Mini

This year I got a decent deal on the Google Home Mini during the Big Billion Day Sale on Flipkart. It was available for Rs. 2,299. I bought it just for casually listening to music at home. However, now my parents listen to their old playlists the entire day on it and they love the Home Mini’s ease of use with voice commands. Also, the fact that it can work as a Bluetooth Speaker is a cherry on top for me. It has certainly been the best purchase in 2019.

Buy: Google Home Mini

Ali Pardiwala: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

I’ve made a couple of big purchases this year, but the one device I’ve found more useful than anything else is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. Considering how many televisions I’ve reviewed this past year, this device is an invaluable tool of my trade. And of course, it’s helped me get access to a wide range of TV shows, movies, and videos across various streaming services up to 4K and HDR.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is, quite easily, one of the best streaming devices you can buy today. It’s the best Rs. 5,999 I’ve spent this year, and has made my television viewing experience far more entertaining and easy.

Buy: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Aman Rashid: iPhone 11 Pro

I am a die-hard smartphone enthusiast, which is why I like to upgrade to a new smartphone every year. And for many people around me, it is a waste of money to upgrading to a new phone every year, but this has become somewhat of a hobby which I am unable to ignore. So my favourite tech purchase of 2019 is the iPhone 11 Pro.

To recap, I haven’t had great experiences using an iPhone. I have had two iPhones in the past, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 7 Plus. And with the iPhone 11 Pro, I was a bit skeptical before purchasing it because of my experiences with iPhones and the exorbitant prices the current Apple phones come with. But I was simply swayed away by the looks of the device. Unlike many people out there, I really like the triple-camera design at the back which makes it stand out from every other phone out there. And, the stainless-steel frame which you don’t get to see in flagships from other manufacturers. Moreover, the phone’s performance is top-notch, battery life is great, and the cameras are also a step-up from the last generation.

It has been almost 3 months since I purchased the iPhone 11 Pro, and I have to say I am really enjoying the iOS experience on this device. Looking forward to the iPhone 12 Pro or whatever Apple decides to name it.

Buy: iPhone 11 Pro (256GB)

Gaurav Shukla: LG G7 ThinQ

Even though smartphone prices have continued to go up with each passing year, I am yet to increase the budget that I had set for my smartphone purchases years ago. Hence, with just Rs. 30,000 to spare for my new smartphone, LG G7 ThinQ caught my eye. LG isn’t the most popular smartphone maker around; in fact, you will be hard-pressed to find LG smartphone owners these days. But, in my opinion, the company’s flagships are often some of the best value-for-money phones around if you are fine with waiting for a few months after the phone’s launch in India and don’t want to go for a Chinese smartphone brand.

Bought in the start of this year, the LG G7 is yet to disappoint me. The phone packs some impressive specifications for an older smartphone and is very easily going to last me another year. Having said that I do hate the massive screen but sadly that is a reality of the Android smartphone market right now, and the phone’s cameras aren’t great.

With Mi LED 10W smart bulb as my only other tech purchase, there is little competition for LG G7 ThinQ for my favourite tech purchase this year.

Buy: LG G7 ThinQ

Harpreet Singh: iPhone XR

I didn’t spend a lot of money on tech products this year, I’m going to end 2019 with a lot still left on my wishlist. But I did upgrade my smartphone this year. I switched from an iPhone 7 Plus to the iPhone XR, after spotting a decent deal online.

It seems like a decent upgrade to me. I like the battery life on the iPhone XR, but I miss the physical home button and Touch ID. I like the fact that it has support for an eSIM as a secondary connection even though I don’t really need one. I do love the camera though, nothing Pixel-like but since I only capture photos for Instagram and Snapchat, it gets the job done.

Buy: iPhone XR

Jagmeet Singh: Microsoft Surface Go

I often do some work while commuting. Checking for new emails or responding them while on-the-move is quite feasible through a smartphone. But I usually spend my travel time in writing new feature pieces or transcribing recent interviews that both a compact PC-like machine. I do carry my work laptop, but in the recent past, I observed the need for an even smaller device that I can take with me in most of the places. I found the iPad as an early solution. However, I ended up purchasing a Microsoft Surface Go.

Since the Surface Go provides me with the full Windows experience, I can not just open apps that are limited to iOS (read iPadOS) but also access all major software packages that I used to have on my desktop or work laptop. The portable design of the Surface Go also makes it an easy-to-carry machine and the optional keyboard adds productivity. Likewise, the touchscreen experience on the device is also on par with my iPhone. The only thing that lacks here is the battery life that gets exhausted in five-six hours of regular use. Nevertheless, there is a USB Type-C port that supports the Power Delivery (PD). So I use a compatible power bank for charging on-the-go.

Buy: Microsoft Surface Go

Jamshed Avari: iPad Pro

After promising myself that I wouldn’t buy anything unnecessary this year, I stumbled across a ridiculously good deal on a second-hand previous-gen iPad Pro that I simply couldn’t pass up. Did I actually need it? Not at all. Was it a good impulse buy? Absolutely! My previous iPad no longer receives iOS updates, I get to play high-end games, and the huge screen is just glorious. You can have a full-sized A4 page up, which is great for reading and especially for sheet music. Creative apps such as Synth One really feel transformed on the bigger screen and the stereo speakers are a revelation too. Moreover, it’s so light that I can just take it anywhere. Now to find an equally good deal on a keyboard cover…

Buy: 12.9-in iPad Pro (2nd Gen)

Nadeem Sarwar: Samsung Wireless Powerbank

2019 was the year I shelled out the most when it comes to purchasing tech goodies. I got myself the Acer KG241QP gaming monitor that offers 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time at a sweet discount on Amazon. I also burnt my earnings on a Redgear MK881 Invador mechanical keyboard with the Kailh Blue switches, and of course, RGB lighting effects. But my favourite tech purchase of the year was the Samsung Wireless Powerbank (EB-U1200CPNGIN).

This one’s not your average, blocky power bank. Aside from a USB Type-A port and a USB Type-C port, it also has a circular Qi-certified wireless charging pad that supports the in-house Wireless Fast Charge tech. It lets me simultaneously charge a phone and a wearable device (or another wireless charging compatible phone, which happens to be the Pixel 3 in my case). The 10,000mAh battery is enough to juice up the phone’s battery thrice, and the build quality is also top notch. It comes at a premium over rival 10,000Ah power banks, but the versatility it offers is unmatched.

Buy: Samsung Wireless Powerbank 10000mAh

Prabhakar Thakur: Amazon Fire TV Stick

Amazon Fire TV Stick was my favourite purchase this year, though I did not really “buy” it. It came with a Samsung TV that I bought (not a smart TV). It has changed my TV viewing experience for good. With Fire TV Stick’s clean UI and decent voice remote, I don’t have many complaints about the device.

This one doesn’t support 4K videos, but I have no qualms about it because of the expense of the amount of data that will be needed should I raise the video quality that much.

Buy: Amazon Fire TV Stick

Roydon Cerejo: iPhone XR, Fire TV Stick, and PS4 Pro

I may have gone a little crazy this year with my tech purchases. My first one was an iPhone XR back in April, when the big discounts and cashback offers began. An excellent device with more than a day-long battery life which even rivalled the iPhone XS. Plus, the fact that it was available in India at an effective price which was even lower than what it was being sold for in the US, made it a no-brainer.

My second-best tech purchase has been the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. The reason it makes the list is because I managed to snag one during this year’s Black Friday sale, for just $25! (roughly Rs. 1,800). It’s also a lot faster than the standard version, supports faster Wi-Fi and of course, can do 4K streaming.

My last big tech purchase of this year is the Sony PlayStation 4 Pro. Yes, I’m aware that the PlayStation 5 (PS5) will be launching around this time, next year, but like every new console generation, the true potential of it will most probably only be realised till a few years in the console’s lifecycle. By then, we’ll also have newer revisions which may fix any teething issues of the launch models, possibly a Pro model and most importantly, more affordable prices out by then.

Pro tip: If you’re looking to get the PS4 Pro, keep in mind that the only official bundle with India warranty is the one with the extra controller. All other bundles on Amazon and Flipkart of the Pro that include free games, are direct imports and don’t have a valid Indian warranty.

Buy: iPhone XR, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, or PS4 Pro

Sumit Garg: Nothing

I have spent a lot of money this year. My biggest purchase has to be a new car, but did I make a tech purchase for myself? Well, no. Yes, I did buy two Redmi 8A smartphones, but those were gifts for my family members. Other than that, personally I did not find anything that amazed me in tech this year and because of that I didn’t make any tech purchase this year.

Buy: Nothing

Tasneem Akolawala: Amazon Echo

I didn’t make any big tech purchases this year, nothing that makes for a worthy mention. Although, I did make a tiny Amazon Echo purchase in January for the house. It’s proved to be quite handy, especially to satiate the growing curiosity of my kid. For those unaware, the Echo range of smart speakers from Amazon comes with Alexa voice assistant built in. It lets you ask questions, request songs, ask for recipes, and set reminders – and responds with voice-based answers. I’d recommend it as a nice addition to your home entertainment space. I bought the second-generation Echo, but it would be ideal to buy the third-generation speakers now. Amazon offers a slew of Echo speakers in different forms and functionalities.

Buy: Amazon Echo

Yousuf Jawed: Realme Earbuds 2

After using OnePlus wireless bullets for an year then getting back to old tech like wired headphones is tough but I did make a choice now and it is Realme Buds 2. These Realme earphones are good in terms of sound quality within the price bracket. The braided cable make you believe it is stronger and practically doesn’t get tangled. The length of the wire is very generous, and it comes with a rubber clip. I also appreciate the drivers and the chambers they are housed in, redesigned to give better sound quality. The magnetics snapping feature of the buds are very handy. So, yeah, this was my tech purchase on the year.

Buy: realme Earbuds 2 in-Ear Wired with mic

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#Miscellaneous

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lostborderline · 4 years ago

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Week Overview

This week has been relatively good to me honestly. I’ve probably had more good than bad happen. Even if I did stress out pretty bad sometimes. I’m going to start chronologically as much as possible.

Friday: In the morning I was about to go to Target, and thought my boyfriend wanted to come because we always grocery shop together but he didn’t so I went alone. Which is fine, I enjoy shopping alone because I can take my time. While sitting in the parking lot, someone who lived in one of the buildings asked me for a ride to Stop and Shop so she didn’t have to take the bus. She is a very nice, old black woman and I’ve met her previously. I agreed to take her and we talked along the way. I suppose this was my good deed for the day. After I got paid, I ordered HTV sheets online for my shirts and it was a relatively good price and they were apparently way better quality than the ones I was using. I also ordered some skincare products from Elf because they’re products are not only amazing, but affordable too. It was only $15 for 5 products and I figured I needed some actual products and I want to care for myself more. I hung out with my cousin today as well, we went to BAM and I got a deck of Oracle cards and a set of citrine crystal earrings which are beautiful. We headed back to my grandma’s house and sat outside with my aunt, grandma, uncle, and cousin. My aunt mentioned that I should buy some crystals to go along with the deck of cards and suggested a place I completely forgot existed, Pandora’s Box. I took my cousin up there with me to Norwich and purchased selenite, black tourmaline, and black onyx as well as a mini satchel, and a depression aid kit.

Sunday: I decided to make a mini jar of prosperity oil as I watched a video of someone else making one. I decided to make it my own because everyone has different ingredients. It is supposed to attract money and success into your life. The ingredients I added were: mint (money, prosperity), basil (money, success), cinnamon (prosperity, good luck, energy), sesame oil (creativity, passion, money, success), patchouli essential oil (money, wealth, prosperity, material goods), sugar (fast acting agent). It was recommended to leave the oil to sit for two weeks so it can absorb all the herbs within the oil. I also went to Walmart and bought a nice lamp and a daylight bulb so that I can do my makeup in my room without the shitty lighting. When I tested it out, it was amazing and I was obsessed. It is amazing for photos as well as doing makeup. Later on this day, I organized my desk area to accommodate space for my makeup, shop items, school items, and machinery. It felt really good to do this.

Monday: Today marked the start of my weeklong Summer break before going back August 31st. I also slept the whole day because I was really tired. When I woke up, I went to Walmart and bought a nice wok for only $6. It’s 14 inches and I made vegetable fried rice with it, it is a dream to cook on.

Tuesday: Today my HTV sheets arrived. After work I went to Walmart and got a nice clothing rack to hang my products on, it was only $9 and was easy to assemble. I also assembled it myself while my boyfriend went out and did whatever. I also bought 6 shirts, 3 med, and 3 large. I tested out the HTV by printing one of my popular designs onto it and applying it with the heat press. It was a hot peel unlike my other transfer sheets which were cold peel. There was a definite quality difference and it was easy to use. I was very scared to peel it because I messed up every time before. At first, there was some product coming off but I put it back down and put the heat press on it again. Eventually it came out nice and it is currently hanging on the rack waiting to be sold. I started my bullet journal today with the one I bought a few weeks ago when I noticed my current notebook getting filled up. It’s initial intention was to be exactly like my current notebook, but then I decided I wanted to make it a bullet journal and (actually use it this time) and make it look really pretty. As always, if I don’t “vibe” with a journal or a notebook, I tend to not use it or want to use it. It originally was very plain blue with a quote on it. I felt that I would not vibe with this so I added some personalization to it with stickers I had and even added one of my own. Finally putting a use to all the unused stickers I have (that are not mine). I did also make some sticker designs because I’ve been putting it off. I made 3 sticker designs. I thought they turned out really nice. However, when I printed them, they didn’t have a nice quality. It was solely due to the fact of how I was creating them (my art software that does not have transparency, which is essential for sticker making). I attempted to use scissors to get rid of the nasty border and used an exacto knife for the insides, and I accidentally cut myself on it, so great.

Wednesday: Today was a pretty good day actually. At work, things went smoothly. I was the order taker, and normally it feels like the shift goes by forever but it wasn’t that bad this time. I was the one in charge so I made sure everything was done for the next shift and that everything went by smoothly and answered any phone calls and whatever. Later on this day, I was fed up with my designs not being the best quality that it can be. I decided to check out the Apple website because I love seeing their products, they’re so nice and smooth. I ended up applying for an Apple Card (which before I was denied 3 times), I actually got approved this time which is amazing! So, due to that, I was able to finance a brand new iPad Air 2019 and the first gen Apple Pencil. It is only $47 a month for both so it really is not bad at all. I am planning on canceling my gym membership, because I don’t even go, and honestly I feel I am content with my body right now and I don’t need a gym to get exercise. I still have yet to come into PF to cancel because you can’t do it over the phone. To make things better, before purchasing, I did do all the math to make sure I was financially stable especially for the upcoming weeks because I have bills due on the second week of September. I made a plan to save all my change to deposit into my account and to limit eating out to only once a week. (it shouldn’t be that hard). As of right now, my bills in tips that I make I will be depositing into my joint account to help pay for groceries because we are a little behind. I also consulted my friend Rheanna about the iPad because she has one for her shop. She has a different version but she says it is absolutely worth it and that I should definitely do it. So, in conclusion, it is a great investment for my business. Also, I would be using it for more than just that. I would be taking notes for school, grocery shopping lists, calculator as well (because with wearing face masks in the store, it makes Face ID unusable so it is a hassle to open the calculator, and the iPad I got has Touch ID instead) and much more. It is portable so I can draw anywhere literally. With my laptop PC and graphic tablet I can’t do that. I am actually very glad I got this and my pencil is supposed to arrive Thursday while it will take the iPad 2-3 weeks to arrive unfortunately.

Thursday: Today, I was actually at work on time. Work went pretty smooth and I got everything done, there was no yelling at all or complaints. My coworker invited me to his upcoming event where people can be vendors and sell their shirts and other products. Showcase their shops kind of. He said he is planning on getting the permit to host the event in New London (which is the perfect place). Originally he said it would be a cash only event, but I suggested that a lot of people only carry card, like myself. I suggested that we accept Cashapp, PayPal and even get those tiny Square card reader things that plug into your phone. I also gave some more ideas. He said he would be having food catered to the event and I suggested that the vendors should also make homemade food to bring to cut costs on the event, as it will be free to get in. I suggested that when the advertisement begins, that I would help advertise as I have a big following on Facebook and I even said I would create a banner with a piece of every vendor’s art to show potential guests what they are in for. Eventually he asked me to help with the event, to which I said yes. I actually am very excited for this as it will be good business for everyone.

#week update #overview #week overview #journal

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latestbycloud-blog · 8 years ago

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Pixelpalooza: 15" Retina MacBook Pro surveyed Macintosh replaces ports and turning drives with Thunderbolt and 5.1 million pixels.

A more slender, "Retina" MacBook Pro had been supposed for quite a while, and Apple did not baffle when it presented the new 15" Retina MacBook Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference a week ago.

Accessibility has been fairly rare since the note pad's dispatch a week ago, however we could get our hands on the base $2,199 demonstrate for testing. (Numerous Apple Store retail stores had almost no stock amid dispatch week, as early stock obviously went to take care of a rash of online requests for early adopters).

The base model is more than satisfactory to figure out the new "Retina" upgrade. We put the machine through some benchmark paces to take a gander at relative crude execution, and spent a few days utilizing the machine for our standard work to get a more subjective impression of the entire bundle—and we left away inspired.

Determinations

15" Retina MacBook Pro, $2,199

2.3GHz quad-center Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 6MB shared L3 store

8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L installed memory

Capacity: 256GB strong state streak drive

Screen: 15.4" slantingly, 2880 x 1800 local determination

Measure: 14.13" width, 9.73" profound, 0.71" thickness

Weight: 4.46 pounds

Control supply: 85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter

"Fate of note pads"

Macintosh could have picked a less complex way to amending its MacBook Pro. The Retina show could have been a drop-in trade for the current 15.4" 1440x900 show. Maybe it could have expelled the optical drive, supplanted the boot drive with a MacBook Air-like SSD module, and kept the interior 2.5" cove for discretionary extra stockpiling as another SSD or a moderately reasonable, yet tremendously more gigantic, HDD. Such a plan would have likely sold well, and Apple's architects could proceed onward to the following task (hi, new Mac Pro).

On the other hand, the organization generally hasn't had issues pushing shoppers to embrace plans they may be awkward with at first. Review the words that Steve Jobs utilized when he presented the overhauled MacBook Air in October 2010: "We've attempted to be truly forceful [with the design]," Jobs said. "We see these as the up and coming era of MacBooks—all note pads will be this way."

The new 15" Retina MacBook Pro is the first run through Apple has connected a similar plan suspecting that went into that new Air to its "professional" journals. Turning hard drives? Gone. Optical capacity? Futile time misplacement. FireWire and Ethernet? Minimal, outdated ports.

Be that as it may, this isn't a stripped-down machine with ultra low voltage processors. The new MacBook Pro separates itself from the Air by pressing in a quad-center Ivy Bridge processor based on Intel's most recent 22nm process. It incorporates Intel's HD4000 coordinated GPU, which isn't exactly the pixel-y sloth that past Intel IGPs used to be. It additionally packs in a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M portable GPU with 1GB of devoted DDR5 memory, and you get no less than 8GB of DDR3 RAM standard.All this equipment pumps 5.1 million pixels to the 2880x1800 pixel Retina show—the most honed, most noteworthy determination show Apple has delivered in any of its PCs so far.

Still, Apple has kept the past 15" MacBook Pro plan around for those that aren't exactly prepared for what's to come. It has an upgradeable 2.5" drive opening and two spaces for RAM. It additionally has a full cluster of ports, including FireWire and gigabit Ethernet. Also, maybe above all to those still reliant on CDs and DVDs, it has an optical drive for the individuals who need the accommodation of having one inherent.

Be that as it may, settling on hard choices about what remained in and what needed to go has enabled Apple to fabricate a machine that is just as effective—and with the correct connectors, as able—as a year ago's MacBook Pro outline. However Apple shaved around 27 percent of the volume and over a pound of weight all the while.

Plan

In the event that you have seen any unibody MacBook Pro over the most recent couple of years, you as of now have an entirely smart thought of what the Retina MacBook Pro resembles. It has the same finished aluminum complete, the same adjusted corners, and the same gigantic trackpad. The show has a uniform dark appearance when the screen is off, because of its combined glass board—like the show get together of the iPhone 4 and 4S.

The console is marginally unique in relation to that utilized on past Pro models. Its format is indistinguishable to the current MacBook Air, incorporating the additional key in the F13 position that fills in as the power catch. (The aluminum control catch on the upper right is presently gone). What's more, similar to the greater part of Apple's portable workstations, the console is backlit.The feel of the console is additionally marginally unique. The keys themselves have an exceptionally slight surface to them. Key travel has all the earmarks of being marginally diminished. It's difficult to evaluate, however there's very less go than past Pros, or even my 2010 MacBook Air. We wouldn't call this terrible, as such, yet it's something you will see and may take some time getting used to.

Laser-carved speaker grilles flank either side of the console, and a clamor wiping out receiver is taken cover behind each.

One range where the new Pro contrasts from the old plan is the expansion of little straight vents along the base side edges of the packaging. These vents are a piece of the overhauled cooling framework, and Apple guarantees that the way they are cut into the unibody makes extra torsional inflexibility. There's no observable flex in either MacBook Pro to the extent we can tell, however—both appear to be pretty solid.So the plan isn't generally new, in essence, just marginally refined for this specific model. It's thin, strong, and feels like an expert machine—precisely what you would expect.Internals

Our audit model is the base Retina MacBook Pro, which accompanies a 2.3GHz quad-center Intel Core i7 processor. The processor can increase its crude clock speed to 3.3GHz utilizing Turbo Boost, wherein at least one centers are stopped when running not as much as the most extreme eight strings at the same time. (Center i7 processors utilize hyper threading, which enables each center to run two strings concurrently).It additionally incorporates 8GB of DDR3L low-voltage RAM welded to the rationale board standard. By examination, the base 15" non-Retina MacBook Pro still accompanies only 4GB. You can support this to 16GB for $200 as a work to-request choice, and we prescribe doing as such if your financial plan permits (since it can't be overhauled later). The 8GB of RAM is a decent sum, however any kind of top of the line figuring will profit by additional.

Additionally standard is a 256GB SSD module. Unless you get a kick out of the chance to keep colossal libraries of music, video, as well as photographs on your essential boot volume, this is most likely sufficient for some clients. In the event that you need more inward stockpiling, in any case, you should choose the higher-end setup. That accompanies a 2.6GHz processor and a 512GB SSD. On the off chance that you simply need to redesign the SSD, it's expensive, at $600. On the off chance that you need to maximize the SSD at 768GB, it'll cost you another $500.

There's probable some sort of operational reason that Apple restrains the choices on the $2,199 base design, yet it genuinely doesn't sound good to us. It appears to be more legitimate to begin with the base design at $2199, then make all the RAM, SSD, and CPU choices accessible form to-request. On the off chance that Apple needs a discretionary higher-end setup to up-offer in its retail locations, we wouldn't contend against it. It just appears to be uncalled for as far as possible the alternatives at the lower end.

As we noted, however, our base model expenses $2,199. Arranging a maximized Retina MacBook Pro, with 2.7GHz Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 768GB of quick SSD stockpiling will cost an incredible $3,749. In the event that you need to convey all that registering power around with you, Apple will make you pay for it.

Retina Display

It's troublesome not to slip into metaphor with regards to the Retina MacBook Pro's mark include—the high-determination "retina" show. In the event that you have utilized an iPhone 4 or 4S, or a third-era iPad, you have some thought of what's in store: sharp content, fresh lines, and pixels that appear to vanish.

The screen seems to look like a printed page at the default setting, which regards the show as though it were a 15" 1440x900 pixel screen as utilized as a part of the "old" MacBook Pro. This implies the viable screen land hasn't transformed—regardless you have a similar measure of workspace. What has changed is that OS X will utilize four times the quantity of pixels to render UI components, content, and the sky is the limit from there. The final product is that everything just looks more honed and, to be honest, better.By multiplying the direct pixel number of the 15" show, Apple has adequately multiplied the pixel thickness from around 110ppi to 220ppi. That is no place close to the 264ppi of the iPad 3, or the 326ppi of the most recent iPhone and iPod touch models. Be that as it may, at a run of the mill seeing separation of around 16", the visual impact is the same—pixels adequately vanish.

The impact was noteworthy when the iPhone 4 initially appeared two years back, which is much the same as taking a gander at a printed record card. The impact wowed more clients on the almost 10" show of the third-gen iPad, which is more similar to taking a gander at a full-shading book or magazine. The show of the 15" Retina MacBook Pro, nonetheless, resembles seeing a little publication or photo—it's positively decent to chip away at such a substantial show with the "Retina" impact.

Notwithstanding backpedaling to a 11" MacBook Air, which has the following most elevated pixel thickness of some other Mac at 135ppi, is troublesome. By correlation, content looks somewhat like a spread chaos, and photographs appear to be marginally fluffy. On the off chance that you select a Retina MacBook Pro, be set up for each non-Retina figuring knowledge from now on to be likewise baffling for the predictable future.The board itself is an IPS LCD board with splendid LED backdrop illumination, which has all the earmarks of being fabricated by LG Philips, as indicated by iFixit's Miro Djuric.

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